The Untold Stories Of The Salvatore Brother's Childhood
by LoveIsAllYouNeed96
Summary: The Salvatore brothers didn't always hate each other.
1. Year 1852

I ran down the steps of the house and sprinted across the front yard. "Give it back." I shouted playfully as I saw Damon running off into the distance with George.

Damon let George traipse behind him as he ran through the maze. "Come and get him!" He replied before laughing and attempting to run faster.

Soon Damon went out of sight. As I reached the trees, I looked around. "Damon!...Damon!" I shouted trying to locate my brother and George. As soon as I heard the familiar sound of sniggering, I looked up. "Found you!" I smiled. The willow tree seemed so grand. I knew only Damon would be able to climb it. "Please can I have George?" I asked.

Damon's dark hair blew in the gentle wind. His clothes had become brown due to mud and his white shirt was slightly torn from where he had caught it climbing up the tree. He swung his legs joyfully as he sat on one of the branches. Damon smiled.

"Damon!" Shouted father as he stormed across the lawn. He looked at me before standing at the foot of the tree and looking up at Damon. "Get down at once!" He said angrily.

Damon grabbed hold of a thick branch before swinging onto it and dropping to the ground. He subtly put George behind his back.

"I have a reputation in this community and I will not have it ruined by your stupidity and lack of respect!" He inspected Damon. "Just look at the state of you! And your clothes!..." He noticed Damon's hands behind his back. "Show me your hands." He demanded.

Damon showed one of his hands.

"And the other."

Damon put his hand back behind his back and produced the other one.

"I meant both of them boy!" He shouted.

Damon reluctantly showed both of his hands.

Father snatched George from Damon. "What have I told you! Don't take what doesn't belong to you!" He hit Damon briskly on the ear.

Damon scowled before putting his hand on his ear.

"Here you are Stefan."

Father handed me George.

"I expect you boys inside by seven o clock. Dinner will be served at eight. Damon I expect to see you clean and in untorn clothing. Miss Higgins will sort that out for you." Father turned and walked away.

"Hmph!" Complained Damon as he crossed his arms and scowled.

I hugged George.

Damon smiled. "Want to do something really fun?" He asked.

I nodded eagerly.

"Follow me." Damon walked off.

I followed him closely. When we arrived at the far wall of the estate. Damon pulled back the leaves of the large bush that stood in the corner and delved in. He seemed to dissapear. "Damon..." I said in a scared tone of voice.

"It's alright. Don't worry." He could tell I was scared and tried to calm me down. "Just walk into the bush and head for the gap in the fence. I'll be waiting on the other side. Don't worry." He smiled.

I kept a tight hold of George.

Damon ran his fingers roughly through his hair making it look as presentable as possible.

I clambered through the bush being careful not to get scratched by the sharp twigs which occupied it. Damon grabbed my hand when he saw me and pulled me through.

"You ok?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Is George ok?" He smirked.

I looked at George then back up at Damon. "Yep."

"Good. Let's go before one of the maids see us."

We started walking down the hill. In the distance stood a large forest. It's trees were far taller than the ones on our estate. They seemed to tower in the sky amongst the clouds. "Wow!" I said amazed by the wonders which lay outside the walls of the estate. I followed Damon until we came to a pond. It's clear blue waters reflected the magnificent summer sun as it rippled. "Can we go swimming?" I asked him with a large beaming smile on my face.

"Of course why else would I have brought you?" He smiled before taking off his jacket and hanging it on one of the branches of the tree near the pond. He also removed his shoes and braces.

I did the same and stuffed George into the pocket of my waistcoat. I looked at Damon and smiled before wading into the pond. The water was cooling. My feet barely touched the ground as I doggy paddled from one side of the pond to the other. "Come on Damon." I laughed before splashing water in his direction.

"I'm coming." He ran into the pond. His white cotton shirt clung to him as it became wet. "Oh no!" He said comically.

"What?" I asked.

"Monsters!" He dunked my head down into the water.

I came back up to the surface and spat out the water which filled my mouth. I coughed before laughing. "There's no such thing as monsters Damon! There just silly things that people have made up. Father said so."

"Oh really! So your saying that all monsters aren't real?" He clambered up the bank of the pond and thought for a moment before snapping a branch off one of the trees and holding it against his forhead. "What about the one antlered forest deer? Deadly creatures they are!" He laughed before using his hands as hooves and parading around the pond making deer noises.

I laughed as my brother foolishly frolicked around the pond.

"Or werewolves." He growled and pretended to claw.

"Damon they aren't weal'!"

He grabbed his jacket and wrapped it around his neck as a cape before showing his teeth. "And vampires." Dumping his jacket on the ground, he jumped into the pond and pretended to bite my neck. "Your a vampire now!" He smiled.

"Liar liar pants on fire!" I chanted.

"Luckily though you have me to protect you. Nothing can contend with me!" He laughed.

"Oh yeah!" I replied. "I'll race you to the end of the forest."

"You'll lose!" He smirked.

"I won't! I'll be the quickest!" I insisted before getting out of the pond.

"Ok then." He too got out of the pond. "If I win you have to...play a prank on Miss Higgins." He laughed.

I put on my bowler hat. "And when I win, you have to...sneak into the attic." I smiled.

"Deal!" He held out his hand.

"Deal!" I shook his hand.

"Prepare to lose!" He grinned. "Three...two...one...go!" Damon pulled my hat down over my eyes before running off. I quickly pushed it up before chasing after him. "That's cheating!" I shouted playfully.

We both took a different route through the forest. I didn't know where I was going so I simply followed the path in the hope that it would lead me to the edge of the forest. I noticed Damon through the trees. He had stopped but he didn't look out of breath or tired. I continued to run before I eventually came to the forest edge. Damon arrived seconds behind me.

"You won!" He smiled.

"I told you I would! You have to sneak into the attic!" My arm was bleeding from where I must have caught it while running. Damon looked at it before tearing off a strip of his white shirt and tying it round the cut.

"Come on." He smiled. "We should get back before Miss Higgins comes looking for us." Laughed Damon.

Miss Higgins is one of the maids. Although she does various other jobs around the estate, her main priority is keeping us in check so we don't dissapoint father. Miss Higgins is in her late 50s. Her greying hair is always tied up in a bun at the back. She doesn't like her job very much and is always complaining about how she doesn't get paid enough for the amount she does to keep us safe, clean and presentable. Miss Higgins is always nagging us about how we never tidy our rooms and always come in covered in mud. I can just imagine her face as we walk through the door soaked through, filthy and with holes in our clothing. As we approach the house, she spots us and rushed over.

"Where have you boys been? And what have you been doing? Just look at the state of you!" She said looking at me. "And what have you done to your shirt?" She walked behind us before putting her hands on our backs and ushering us into the house via the back door so fathers dinner guests wouldn't see us. "Damon you are twelve years old. You need to be more responsible."

As soon as we entered the kitchen. Mary noticed us and walked over. "Goodness, what have you boys been up to?" She asked nicely.

"We went swimming in the forest but don't tell Miss Higgins. If she asks we were swimming in the back garden." Smirked Damon.

"You knew your mother and father had important guests over tonight Damon. I'm not surprised Miss Higgins is up a height. You two aren't exactly the easiest things to look after." She laughed before opening the stove and taking out a tray. Mary placed the contents onto a large brass cooling rack. She walked over to the sink and placed the tray into it.

Damon reached out his hand to try and take a biscuit.

Mary noticed and slapped his hand away before laughing and handing each of us a biscuit when Miss Higgins wasn't looking. "Don't tell anyone I gave you them." She shook her head. "My Miss Higgins is going to have a hard task getting you both ready before dinner." She laughed. "The Salvatore brothers renowned for their ability to ruin clothing and cause trouble."

"Father would be proud." He mocked. "Thanks Mary." Smiled Damon.

"Thank you Mary." I said before smiling.

"You're welcome." She ruffled my hair. "Now go and get changed. Oh and be good!"

"We will." Said me and Damon simultaneously.

We took the servants corridor round the back off the house and ascended the old rusty staircase to the second floor. Damon opened the door and peered round it. "Come on." He walked out.

When we reached our rooms, the old carriage clock on the mantel read quarter past seven. Damon and I's rooms are seperate but have an adjoining door between the two. Miss Higgins rushed in. "Damon...Damon..." She walked through my room to get to his. "Go and get cleaned up in the bathroom." She handed him a flannel. Miss Higgins then returned into my room. "Right young man." She went to the closet and took out an outfit. "Your father wants you in your best."

"Ahh but it's really tight." I moaned. My best waistcoat is extremely tight round the back and restricts my movements so even eating is a struggle.

"Well if you hadn't have got your other one dirty today you could have worn that."

Then I remembered. "George!" I quickly looked in the pocket of my waistcoat.

Damon walked in. "There happy." Although he had removed the thick of the mud and dirt, some areas were still covered.

"Oh come here." She took the flannel off him and started wiping away various specks of mud on his face.

He squirmed. "I can do it myself you know!"

"Obviously not!"

Damon looked at me. I was close to tears. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"George is gone!" I said tearfully.

"It's alright Stefan. I'll send one of the maids to fetch him from the pond." Said Miss Higgins.

Damon walked over to me. "You distract Miss Higgins." He whispered.

I smiled and hugged him.

Damon walked off into his room.

I grabbed my waistcoat and purposely put it on wrong.

"Oh what am I going to do with the two of you." She laughed at my feeble attempt of putting it on.

_**-Damon's POV-**_

I ran across the lawn to the hole in the fence and climbed through it. I then sprinted through the forest to the pond. I looked around. George was lying underneath the tree that we had hung our clothes upon earlier today. I grabbed before starting to run back through the forest. As I ran, I heard something. Something powerful and fierce. The sound of it's growl struck fear in my body. It's yellow eyes stood out through the leaves. I backed away slowly. My heart raced as my eyes never left the creatures. I continued to walk backwards for a short distance before turning and running away. When I looked back, the creature was gone.

_**-Stefan's POV-**_

Miss Higgins buttoned up my waistcoat before starting to walk into Damon's room. "No!" I shouted.

"What? What is it?" She said rushing back over to me.

"Emm..."

They she realised what I was doing and quickly went into Damon's room before turning back to me. "Where is he?" She said sternly.

Damon came running into the room. He handed me George.

"Where have you been? Your wanted downstairs in..." She looked at the clock. "Five minutes!" She panicked. "Get dressed!" She shouted at Damon.

Damon laughed before walking into his room. "Who is coming for dinner tonight anyway?" He asked.

"Mayor Lockwood." Said Miss Higgins sternly. "Your mother and father needs you to behave tonight. This dinner is extremely important."

"But they do not normally invite us to dinner when we have guests." Stated Damon.

"Mayor Lockwood has requested that you dine with them tonight." Miss Higgins tied my bow tie. "You will attend the dinner then return to your rooms." She dusted off the shoulders of my waistcoat and looked at the clock once again. "Damon hurry up! We're already late as it is!"

I hugged George and smiled.

Damon appeared in his formal attire. "Yeah but we'll be fashionably late." He smirked.

"You will nothing of the sort. Now your parents will see you'se two being late as my fault and it will be my job on the line."

"Father and mother would never fire you Miss Higgins. Who else would put up with us two?" Damon grinned and put his arm around my shoulders.

Miss Higgins smiled. "Come on, you're late."

We both left the room. Miss Higgins took the servants corridor while we took the main staircase. I held back nervously behind Damon as we walked into the dining room.

"Boys take a seat." Said father kindly. You could tell that he wasn't impressed with our lack of punctuality.

Mother simply smiled.

We sat down next to each other. Mr and Mrs Lockwood sat opposite father down the far end of the table.

"Good to see you boys." Said Mayor Lockwood.

"You too Mayor Lockwood." Said Damon before nudging me.

"You too Mayor Lockwood." I twigged.

Mrs Lockwood smiled. "How adorable."

I held George against my chest with one arm as I sat.

"What do you have there boy?" Asked Mayor Lockwood.

"Oh it's a toy which was bought for him when he was baby. He's rather attached to it shall we say." Said father.

"The boy should be learning how to defend himself instead of spending his time cuddling soft animals." Said Mayor Lockwood. "Take George for example. I take him hunting every week. He already possesses an excellent shot."

"I think taking Stefan hunting would be slightly innapropriate. He is only five years of age." Replied Mother.

"Nonsense nonsense." He looked at Damon. "How about you boy? Can you hunt?"

"No sir." Said Damon quietly.

"Speak up boy! Don't mumble." Stated Mayor Lockwood.

"No sir I can't hunt!" Said Damon louder.

"Giuseppe how are these boys ever going to make a living if they do not know the basics needed to mantain themselves in life."

"I hope that one day they will in my footsteps." Said father looking at us.

"I don't!" Cussed Damon under his breath.

"What did you say boy?" Father stood up and walked over to Damon. He grabbed Damon's shirt. "What did you say?" He asked again.

"Guiseppe!" Said mother sternly but father ignored her.

"I don't!" Said Damon loud enough so the whole table could hear him.

Father slapped Damon hard across the face.

"Giuseppe!" Said Mrs Lockwood standing up before Mayor Lockwood stopped her.

"The boy has to learn." He said.

"Why you ungrateful child! I have given you a home, food, clothes and so much more and this is how you behave! You choose to embaress me!" He shouted. "Go to your room!" Father let go of Damon and he ran out of the dining room.

"Can I be excused please?" I asked nervously.

Mother nodded. "Yes of course Stefan."

I got down from my seat and walked out. I ran up the staircase and into Damon's room. Damon was standing in front of the mirror. His cheek was dark red in colour. Miss Higgins walked into the room and noticed Damon.

"Oh my dear boy." She hurried over to him and looked at his cheek. "What did you do wrong?" She asked.

"I said that I didn't want to follow in father's footsteps." He said angrily.

"Why did you say that?" She asked.

"Cause it's true." Damon looked upset.

"Come on we'll get you something for that." Miss Higgins led me and Damon out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen. Once again Mary came over as we entered.

"Good heavens. Was this master's doing?" She asked Miss Higgins.

Miss Higgins nodded. "That man has to stop lashing out."

"I'll get some ice and a cloth." Said Mary before gathering the various components and bringing them back. "Here." Mary had wrapped a cloth around some ice. "Put that on your cheek."

Damon held the cloth against his cheek.

"That should reduce the swelling." She smiled.

"Did you boys get to eat?" Asked Miss Higgins.

I shook my head.

"I'm sure me and Mary can rustle something up for the two of you." She smiled.

"Thanks." Smiled Damon.

Mary and Miss Higgins walked off.

I turned to Damon. "I'm sure father didn't mean it." I said softly.

He smiled. "Don't listen to father and Mayor Lockwood, you can do whatever you want. Don't let them plan out your life for you. If you want to play with George you can. Just because George can hunt doesn't mean you should have to know how to. The point is do what you want to do not what Father tells you to do. It's your life."

I looked at George. He was tucked under my arm. "Ok." I smiled and hugged Damon.

Damon put his arm round me and smiled.


	2. Year 1857

As the white coffin was lowered into her stone angel marked grave, I clung to the arm of my father. Damon stood next to me dressed in a dark blue suit with a bow tie. His eyes were red with tears and his naturally curly dark hair was ruffled and messy. The staff of the estate stood behind the crowds of Mystic Falls residents coming to pay their respects. Faces in the crowd included Mayor Lockwood and family, the Fells, the Forbes and the Gilberts.

"If you would like to drop in the roses boys." Said the vicar softly.

Damon stepped forward and walked to the side of the grave. He wiped away the tears from his eyes with the back of his shaking hand. It took him a few seconds before he could loosen his grip on the red rose allowing it to fall down onto the coffin. He then took a step back and placed his hand encouragingly on my shoulder.

I grasped the yellow rose against my chest scared of the concept of this being my final goodbye. Tears ran down my cheeks as everyone was waiting for me to place the rose in the grave.

"Go on Stefan." Father instructed.

Noticing my fear, Damon smiled down at me. "Come on."

We walked to the edge of the grave before he took hold of my hand. "Together." He whispered as we both held onto the rose.

I closed my eyes before letting go.

Damon had his head buried in his hands as he sat on the end of a wooden bench outside the church. I have never seen him so broken. His bright blue eyes were full of pain and sorrow.

I walked over and sat down next to him on the bench. He smiled at me. I knew he was trying to stay strong for me but I could tell how much he was hurting. "Where's father?" He asked.

"I think he left." I answered.

"Figured. Come on, we should be getting back." He stood up and dusted himself off.

As we walked, I felt safe with Damon like he is almost like my protector. He is like the father figure I wish I had. Someone I could talk to without being told I was weak. A friend who I could spend time with and a brother who I could rely on. Damon is everything that my father is not. Over the years, he has always endured the wrath of my father even when I was the one to blame. Whether it be a beating or just a telling off, Damon would never let it be me.

"We need to stick together." Damon spoke up. "No matter what happens, we will always be brothers." He smiled. "Mother would want us stay stong."

I nodded. "You will always be my big brother." I smiled up at him.

He smirked. "I know." Damon ruffled up my hair to purposely annoy me.

**-Damon's POV-**

When we returned to the estate, we entered through the back door. Miss Higgins was singing in the kitchen and Betsy was by the stove preparing lunch. They turned to us as we entered.

"Your father has locked himself away in the attic." Whispered Miss Higgins.

I shook my head. "Useless excuse for a man."

"You watch your tongue young man." She scorned.

"Come on Stefan." I walked out of the kitchen and down the servants corridor to the main reception of the house. The portrait of mother which used to hang on the wall in the hallway was gone. Father must have took it with him to the attic along with what looked like a supply of wine, whisky and bourbon from the cabinet under the table.

It was almost nightfall when father emerged. In his hand was a bottle of spirit. He entered the dining room where we were sitting and took his place opposite. The maids proceeded to bring in a variety of dishes before placing them down on the table.

"You left earlier." I commented.

"Yes well I had matters to attend to back at the estate." He replied sharply.

"I thought you would have stayed and said your farewells."

"One can't greive forever Damon. Time should be dedicated before everyone must move on."

"But we only buried her today. How can you be rid of your grief and out of mourning already?" I asked.

"Greiving is a sign of weakness. It's unmanly and childish Damon."

"But father that is absurd!..." I began.

"That is enough!" He bellowed over me. "I have moved on. It is time you did too."

The next morning, I awoke and got dressed before walking down the staircase and into the kitchen. Miss Higgins smiled as she saw me enter.

"Good heavens!" She teased. "Damon Salvatore awake at this time in the morning! What has the world come to?"

"I promised Stefan that I would take him riding with me." I answered.

"That's nice." She smiled. "Oh and don't slam the door on your way out!" Miss Higgins instructed playfully.

"I won't." I exited the kitchen.

I lifted the old brass latch of the wooden doors and opened them both outwards. The stable was cool compared to the heat of the sun outside. The bundles of hay had been freshly brought by the stable boys and the trough of water was clean. Mezzanotte whinnied as I past him. Jake simply huffed. Taking a saddle from the wall, I placed it onto Jake's back before stroking his head softly. His gentle neigh was friendly and loyal.

Stefan entered the stable.

"And what time do you call this?" I smiled.

"Sorry!" He apoligised before smirking.

I lifted down a saddle and placed it on Mezzanotte's back. I then climbed up onto Jake.

Stefan clambered onto Mezzanotte.

"Come on boy." I said softly as I patted the side of his neck encouragingly. Jake walked on. The metal horseshoes on his feet clinked against the ground.

We made our way down the path towards the gates before exiting the estate.

"Good morning boys." Greeted Mr Potts. Alfred is father's driver. His white cotton shirt was tucked ruffly into his trousers and had traces of oil on it. A pair of brown bracers were positioned on his shoulders and crossed at the back before clipping to his trousers. A pair of round spectacles were falling slightly down his nose and his light hazel hair was quiffed.

"Good morning Alfred." I stopped beside him. "Did father leave this morning?" I asked.

He nodded. "I shouldn't really tell you where Mr Salvatore has travelled but seeing as you are his sons and the heirs of the Veritas estate, I would think that you boys are exempt but still don't mention anything to your father or my head will be on the chopping block." He chuckled with a southern, Louisiana accent.

"We won't" Father was always firing staff from the estate. I'm not surprised that so many of them are scared of stepping out of line. No one wants to loose their job. Not with the war approaching.

"He came down here at around five. Said he had business with Jonathon Gilbert." Alfred lives in the old cottage on the outskirts of the estate. He doesn't have a family so working here provides him with an income and a home.

"Thanks Alfred." I smiled before lightly tapping Jake with my foot.

"Now you boys be careful." He smiled before waving us off.

Jake sped up to a steady but gentle gallop as we descended the hill towards Wickery Bridge.

As children, we would play kissing games underneath the bridge. I also had my first kiss with Amelia Hawke on the bridge when I was thirteen. We always use to try and scare our friends here. One night on the bridge, one of Stefan's schoolfriends Peter believed that he had seen a figure kneeling down in the woods feasting on the neck of a deer. Apparently, the figure turned to him with hell-red hair and long, sharp, blood dripping teeth. He swore that it was a vampire. We all burst out into laughter and mocked him mercilessly. The next year, him and his family left Mystic Falls and moved to Richmond. Father told us that it was only the work of wild dogs and coyotes.

"You seem quiet." I said turning to Stefan.

"Sorry was just thinking, that's all." He answered.

"Just ignore what father said at dinner. There' s nothing wrong with greiving. It's natural." I smiled.

"She's never coming back." Stefan said sadly.

I shook my head. "No, she's not." I said softly before dismounting Jake and walking over to Stefan. I lifted him down from Mezzanotte. "Mother will be looking down on us. She wouldn't want you to be upset." I smiled. "If you believe that she's with you, she will be." I hugged him and stroked the back of his hair. "It will get easier."

He nodded tearfully as he rested his head against my chest.

A gun shot sounded. It appeared to have come from the estate.

"What was that?" Asked Stefan.

"I don't know." I walked back over to Jake and mounted him. "Come on boy." He began to walk on.

Stefan followed.

After returning Jake and Mezzanotte to the stable, I walked down the path towards the house. A cluster of staff were walking around. I noticed Mr Phillips and walked over to him. Mr Phillips was dressed in a brown jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had a small smudge of dirt on his neck from where he must of rubbed it while working and his white shirt was untucked from his trousers.

"What's going on? I heard a gun shot." I asked.

"Your father ordered for Artemis to be put down." He replied.

Artemis was my mother's horse. She was incredibly fond of him and would often ride him around the estate. Mother was the one who taught me and Stefan to ride when we were younger.

"Why?" My eyes widened.

Ralph shrugged. "Ask your father."

**-Stefan's POV-**

I walked round to the back of the house.

"Stefan." Said Mr Sanford as he saw me.

Something lay on the ground behind him. That's when I recognised it.

"No!" I ran over to it.

Artemis lay dead on the ground. I knelt down in front of him and stroked his mane. Tears rolling down my cheeks. "No!" I whimpered quietly.

**-Damon's POV-**

I ran round the side of the house. I saw Stefan kneeling by Artemis. Running over to him, I put my arms around his stomach and lifted him away from Artemis.

"No!" He screamed while kicking and squirming.

"Stefan it's ok." I comforted softly.

"No! We have to look after him!" He screamed tearfully.

I began walking away from Artemis with Stefan in my arms. "There's nothing we can do." I said gently.

He continued to resist until I finally managed to get him in the house. Miss Higgins came over.

"Good heavens."

"The work of father in all his great wisdom." I said sarcastically before sitting Stefan down on one of the wooden crates in the kitchen and kneeling in front of him.

"He killed him." He said angrily.

"Father didn't kill him, he ordered for someone to kill him." I found this incredibly cowardly on his part. If he wanted Artemis gone so badly, he should have done it himself.

Once again, Stefan buried himself in my arms. I tried to think of a way to take his mind off everything and cheer him up.

"How about, I take you to the baseball game?" I suggested.

He wiped away his tears before smiling and nodding

**-Stefan's POV-**

When we arrived at the game, Damon sat down next to his friend Mark while I noticed Matthew and Brian and sat down next to them. Behind us, sat the Giffin brothers, Phil and Tony. They had a younger brother who was the same age as me.

The game was us against Aiken.

As we began to gradually loose, the brothers became bored.

"Ahhh are you going to cry?" They teased in childish baby voices. "Did your mummy die?" They laughed.

Damon and Mark walked over to us. "Maybe you should pick on someone your own age." His voice was stern as he confronted them.

The brothers laughed once again but this time they were cut short as Damon landed a punch right across Phil's face causing him to stumble backwards and fall onto the seats of the stand. Mark then followed this by punching Tony. They continued to fight until the grounds keepers came and threw us out.

As we walked home, I looked up at Damon. His face and hands were covered in blood, cuts and bruises. I smirked.

"What are you smirking at?" He laughed.

"How you just punched him." I smiled.

"Well he was being annoying." He smiled back.

"Thanks." I said gratefully.

"For what?" He asked.

"Being my brother." I answered.

I put one of arms around my shoulders. "No one picks on my little brother." He smirked.

**-Damon's POV-**

As we snuck in through the back of the house, father was waiting for us. He immediately scowled at me. I nudged Stefan and he got the hint and left the room.

"Where have you been and why are you covered in blood." He questioned sternly.

"Got into a fight." I admitted not really caring about what he had to say.

"Why do you choose to embarress me Damon?" He shouted. "That's the problem with you, your too imperius, too wilful, too quick to make up your mind and too slow to change it!"

"I don't care what you think of me. But just remember, I'm the one that's bringing up your son! I wish there was someone there to do that for me when I was younger." I walked out of the room.


	3. Year 1858 Part 1

**-Damon's POV-**

"Cock a doodle doo!" Cried the cockerel which was perched upon the rooftop above our bedrooms. Yawning, I turned over in my bed and looked across through the open door into Stefan's bedroom. Stefan was sound asleep. Glad that the cockerel had not woken him, I slowly pulled back the covers and quietly climbed out of bed. Trying to be as silent as possible, I dressed into my usual attire of a white shirt with black trousers and braces before walking through Stefan's room and out of the door into the corridor. Descending the staircase, I made my way into the kitchen where Mrs Higgins was sat at the long wooden table sewing up a hole in one of Stefan's shirts while Betsy was stood over a pot of broth by the stove and Mary was joyfully humming to herself as she stirred the contents of a large brown porcelain bowl with a wooden spoon. As she turned around, she gasped at the sight of me.

"Goodness gracious!"

"Sorry Mary, I didn't mean to scare you." I apologised.

Mary smiled. "That's okay, Damon. Just make yourself known next time."

Mrs Higgins looked up from her sewing, also previously oblivious to my presence in the kitchen.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" She turned to look at the clock. "It's only six o clock."

"That stupid cockerel woke me up again. I have a good mind to borrow one of father's hunting rifles and shoot the damn thing!" I stated, annoyed by the bird which had prematurely awoken me for the past three mornings in a row.

"You will do nothing of the sort Master Salvatore. That bird has done harm to you, so you won't do no harm to it. Do you understand me?" She called me Master Salvatore, that's not a good sign. "For goodness sake, it's just a bird."

"Alright, forget I ever mentioned it." I stated. "Since when do you care about birds? You cook enough of the things." I pouted out.

"That's different. Those birds were killed for a purpose. They were not killed by a grumpy young adult intent on ending the life of an innocent bird purely because it was waking him up too early in the morning."

"She has a point, Damon." Imputed Mary.

"Don't defend her." I smirked.

"Damon!" Called a voice that was recognisably father's.

"Oh boy!" I spoke silently under my breath.

Father entered the kitchen dressed in a dark green suit.

Mrs Higgins rose from her seat. "Morning master." She curtsied.

"Good morning."

Father turned to me. "What are you doing in here? You know you're not permitted. I've told you before and you better make sure that I don't have to repeat my words again. This kitchen is for the staff and maids. It is not for the likes of you and your brother. I only have a few rules Damon, you know that. Other than that, I feel that I am very fair when it comes to you. I don't want you talking to the staff and maids, you're only permitted to speak to Mrs Higgins. These rules have been in place since you were a child, why is it that you always set out to do the complete opposite of everything I say?" He shouted.

"Why?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "Because they're poorer than we are?" I questioned. "You may not have noticed, father, but most people are. But just because they have less money than us, doesn't mean their lives are worth less than ours!"

"How dare you speak to me in that manner, boy!" He bellowed. "I am your father, and as long as you live in my house under my roof, you will abide my rules without question and show me some respect!"

"Respect? You show the staff and the maids no respect, so how am I supposed to respect you if I do not see anything worth respecting in you."

"Go to your room this instant!" Father screamed while pointing towards the door. "I will not ask twice!"

I shook my head angrily. "I'm not a child anymore, father!" I shouted. "You cannot simply order me about like some member of the staff."

Father shook his head. "Whatever happened to the young boy who I raised to be respectful towards his elders?"

"He saw the real you and grew up on his own without your guidance." I answered before walking towards the back door which led to the garden at the rear of the house.

"Damon!" Father called after me. "Don't you dare walk away when I'm talking to you! Get back here at once! Damon!"

I simply ignored him, and left the house.


End file.
